Pencil point cleaner



M. vA." GUAR! PENCIL POINT C Filed March Aug. 26, 1958 INVENTOR. M/GHAELA. GUARl/VO jaw/WM United States Patent PENCIL POINT CLEANER Michael A.Guarino, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 9, 1955, Serial No. 493,275

3 Claims. (Cl. -223) This invention relates to a pencil point cleaner,and is more particularly described as an improved device for cleaninggraphite and the like, from the point of a pencil after it has beensharpened.

In sharpening a pencil, draftsmen and others often find that a quantityof the lead or graphite adheres to the point of the pencil and if finedrawings or sketches are to be made, the graphite particles may dropupon the paper or may adhere to the fingers of the writer causing asmudge on the paper or on the fingers of the draftsman.

An important object of this invention is to provide a novel and improvedcleaning device for cleaning the loose graphite from the point of apencil after the pencil has been sharpened or after the pencil point hasbeen formed in its desired taper by use of a pencil sharpener,sandpaper, or similar material. This cleaning device is simple inconstruction, easy to use, and provides an effective cleaning action onthe point of a pencil whereby the draftsman is able to produce drawingswithout smudging and having cleaner, clearer and sharper lines.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pencilcleaner Which is inexpensive to make and produce, which is sturdy inconstruction and which substantially improves the cleanliness and use ofpencils by anyone and particularly contributes to the neatness ofdrawings made by a draftsman by enabling him to maintain his pencilpoint in clean condition at all times.

A further object of the invention is to produce a pencil cleaner inwhich all of the edges are usable so that it may have a longer life anduse.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and willbe apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the end portion offolded stacked sheets of soft paper forming the main body portion of theimproved pencil point cleaner of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an improved pencil graphite cleanerconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a pencil cleaner similar to that shownin Fig. 2, but with the staples at right angles to their position inFig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view as taken onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Although this pencil cleaner is described as made of thin soft foldedpaper and a heavier outside plate of cardboard, it may also be made ofother materials which will be readily apparent.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, this improved pencil pointcleaner comprises a stack of folded rectangular sheets 10 of paperusually having a single fold 12 and the paper being of somewhatabsorbent soft tissue paper as shown in Fig. 1. Each sheet is folded andthe folded sheets are stacked with the folds of the sheets alternatingin sequence with the free edges of the adjacent sheets, the fold of onesheet being located oppositely with respect to the fold of the nextsheet. By thus arranging the folded sheets oppositely, the thickness atthe respective opposite sides of the stack of folded sheets ismaintained substantially equal.

At the top and bottom of the stack of tissue paper are rectangular platemembers 14 and 15 of relatively stiff material such as stifi cardboard,fiber, or the like, and secured thereto and together by a plurality ofwire staples 16 having arms 17 extending through the respective platemembers and the intervening stack of sheets as clearly shown in Fig. 4,having their bight portions disposed on the top plate 14 and the lowerends of the legs 18 bent under and against the bottom plate 15.

As shown in Fig. 2, the staples extend transversely of the plate membersand the stack of tissue sheets, and in Fig. 3, the staples extendlongitudinally of the plate members and the stack of sheets. In bothforms, the longitudinal edges of the plate members are spaced inwardlyfrom the longitudinal edges of the stack of paper sheets and the staplesare inwardly from the edges of the plate members leaving all themarginal portions of the paper sheets exposed and free for insertingpencil points therein at all of the edges.

In using this device, after a draftsman has pointed his lead pencil to adesired shape by means of a sharpener, sandpaper or similar means, heinserts the point of the pencil into the exposed marginal portions ofthe sheets of paper in the stack allowing the pencil point to engagebetween the exposed edges of the sheets and rotating the point severaltimes as it is passed or moved longitudinally between the edges. Thiseffectively removes all the loose graphite from the newly pointed tip ofthe pencil and enables the user to draw sharp clean lines with thepencil without the danger of smudging the paper with loose graphite fromthe pencil point or smudging his fingers and then smudging the paperwith his fingers.

While the sheets are preferably made of a soft paper such as tissuepaper, it is understood that where fibrous materials may be used such ascellulose sheets, various types of paper, parchment, cloth, woven orunwoven, and including muslin, linen, cotton, rayon, and the like. It isdesirable that the material be relatively rough so that it will retainthe graphite particles, but soft enough so that it is not undulyabrasive on the pencil point.

While a specific embodiment has been described in some detail, it shouldbe regarded by way of illustration and example rather than as arestriction or limitation thereof, as many changes in the construction,combination and arrangement of the parts may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

,1. A pencil point cleaner for removing loose graphite and othermaterial from a distance substantially equal to the length of a leadpencil point, comprising a stack of folded rectangular sheets of softfibrous material with the edges at opposite sides transversely aligned,respective relatively stifi rectangular plate members on the top andbottom of said stack, and means located inwardly from the edges of theplate members for securing said stiff plate members and the sheetstightly together, the side margins of said stiff plate members beingspaced inwardly from the said opposite edges of the said sheets, adistance substantially equal to the length of a pencil point whereby apencil point may be cleaned by drawing said point along in the exposedmargins of the stacked sheets which are disposed outwardly from theedges of the plate members, and wiping loose graphite and other loosematerial therefrom.

2. A pencil point cleaner in accordance with claim 1, in which the platemembers are secured together by a plurality of wire staples engagingthrough the stiif plate members and the intervening stack sheets, theside and end margins of the stiff plate members being spaced inwardlystaples being spaced ingv a igily item the margins of said stifi platemembers, whereby a pencil point may be easily inserted between the sideand end margins of the paper a 'sm a1 the;

fiom the; sideand endggagglns pf said sheets; and-the-wire thereof, itmq 4 s bstat t ally aaa 19 39; 9.991 1. of, a pencil point makew m s emn fianen point ,ins xt d,; etween,t 92 131 13 1189;-91h9-nlat .m mbersand. inwadly 'efa-th iedge l eas f rmape sheets by drawing said;pnintaalcmg inithe-expo edxmaxgin 6 ef'the stacked sheets for remeivingloose materials from the point and adjacent the point of a pencil.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

